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Rebel Banana Bread

Banana bread is a staple in my life. I love bananas and purchase them just about every week. We can go through a whole bunch in a few days if we’re not careful. But sometimes I instruct my husband to not eat them because I have plans for them. Banana bread is also my go-to remedy for eradicating fruit flies, because they inevitably show up when bananas have been chilling on the fridge for a little too long. This doesn’t happen too often, but when it does… ya gotta do what ya gotta do, right?

For much of my life, I’ve been an advocate of sticking with my Grandma’s recipe. It’s a classic banana nut bread, and it is 110% delicious. Sometimes when I’m feeling a little out of sorts and in the mood for some extra sweetness I might add some butterscotch chips. I am normally a follow the rules kinda person but I do have my moments.

On the rare occasion when I am feeling completely over the top, I know I have to be radical and seize the moment. It is rare after all. I was having one of those rebellious days last week, and this banana bread is the result.

This banana bread includes a smattering of chocolate chips and a burst of coconut flavor in every banana-y bite. The recipe is not mine, though I did tweak it a little bit but subbing coconut oil for the regular oil and adding coconut flakes for a little texture and chewiness. It’s great with a cup of cold milk for a bedtime [I just typed “breadtime”–that works too!], or with a mug of hot coffee for breakfast. You should make it really soon–even if you’re not in a rebellious state of mind. I probably will be making it again soon too… I was just informed by my husband that I may not be allowed to go back to a non-chocolate chip banana bread. Uh oh. I may have entered the dark side, and taken you all along for the ride! My sincerest apologies… and to make it up to you… the recipe.

Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix bananas, sugar, oil, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours and baking soda. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, then add coconut flakes and chocolate chips and stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Use a sheet of aluminum foil to cover bread during baking if it starts to get too dark before it is fully cooked.

How do you like your banana bread? Plain? Or with crazy mixins? Please share!

banana bread is my favorite. my favorite kind is this nutella marbled one i made recently, i think the recpie was from recipegirl.com. it was awesome. especially eaten hot with more nutella on it as frosting.

I typically like my Nana’s recipe. It’s good and moist and just dense enough to stick to your ribs. From time to time, I change things up a bit with the lighter, fluffier recipe of an old friend of my grandparents’ (always trust the recipes of women over the age of 70). But I was recently outdone by my ten year old sister when she made some killer banana bread with whole wheat flour and no recipe. No recipe. Sheesh. How does she do it? She’s ten! Look out, World! Kitchen prodigy!!